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Old Gold Comedy Theater

by: Old Time Radio Researchers Group

Publication date: 2012-06-02

Usage: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0

Topics: OTRR, Old Time Radio Researchers Group, Old Time Radio, OTRR Set, OTRR Certified Set, Old Gold Comedy Theater, Old Gold Comedy Theatre, Comedy, Anthology, Harold Llyod, Lloyd, Harold, 1940s, 1944, 1945, OTRR - 2012-06

OLD GOLD COMEDY THEATER
The Old Gold Comedy Theater aired over NBC for one season, from October 29, 1944 to June 10, 1945. The Lennen and Mitchell ad agency wanted to produce a comedy series for Old Gold cigarettes, a brand of the Lorillard Tobacco Company. The show was patterned after the successful format used by the Lux Radio Theatre and Cecil B. DeMille. Preston Sturges, an up and coming director, was originally tapped to host the show, but was already committed elsewhere, and so suggested Harold Lloyd, a silent film star, with whom he had worked in the past. As this was his first radio program, Lloyd worked for many months to get over his fear of the microphone. Critics believed he was improving as the season progressed, and would have eventually mastered the art had the series lasted more than one season. Though the adapted scripts and the actors were top-notch, the show eventually suffered from its 30 minute format, as too much had to be cut from the original movie scripts. Lennen and Mitchell pulled the plug on the show on May 28, 1945 when they announced Meet Me at Parky's would air in its place. Currently, there are 30 of the 32 episodes still in circulation -- 29 come from the estate of Harold Lloyd, in the original un-cut version, and one from the Armed Forces Radio Service. OTRR Certification Information: Series Name: Old Gold Comedy Theater Certification Status: OTRR Certified Complete Certification Date: February 22, 2012 Certification Version: Version 1 Number of CDs: 2 From the Old Time Radio Researchers Group. See "Note" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

Notes

OLD TIME RADIO RESEARCHERS GROUP

This is a production of the Old Time Radio Researchers Group located at Old Time Radio Researchers Website (www.otrr.org) and the Yahoo! Group Old Time Radio Researchers.

It contains the most complete and accurate version of this series in the best sound possible at the time of creation. An updated version will be issued if more episodes or better sounding ones become available.

If you are interested in preserving Old Time Radio (OTR), you may wish to join the Old Time Radio Researchers Group at Yahoo.

Relax, listen, and enjoy!

OTRR Definitions:

OTRR Certified Accurate -- A series that is Certified Accurate indicates that all the episodes are properly identified and labeled but that the series does not contain all known extant episodes.

OTRR Certified Complete -- A series that is Certified Complete is the highest level of certification available under the OTRR Certified Standards. This certification level implies that all the files in the series are Certified Accurate but also indicates that the series is as complete as possible – it includes all extant episodes.

OTRR Non-Certified -- A collection of shows that has not gone through the OTRR Certification process.

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